accent colors - contrasting colors used to increase interest in room color themes

accessories - small objects such as vases, plants, books, lamps and other decorative items

antique satin - one of most common drapery fabrics, - characterized by a lustrous effect, normally composed of rayon/acetate blends

au courant - French, literally, in the current; fashionable

bedding ensembles - either custom or ready made, sheets/spread/comforter/shams/bed skirts

bias - a line diagonal to the grain of a fabric; especially : a line at a 45° angle to the selvage often utilized in the cutting of garments for smoother fit

blanc - French, white

bolster - a long pillow or cushion which forms an integral part of a chair, soft or bed

box pleat - a tailored fabric fold formed by two folded edges, one facing right and the other facing left

brocade - a heavy textile with a raised design resembling embroidery, generally made of silk, rayon and nylon yarns with or without metallic treatment

casement - a cloth drapery that is of an open-weave material, but more opaque that a sheer

cashmere - fine wool from the undercoat of the Cashmere goat.  Considered one of the most precious of wools, cashmere comes from the Cashmere goat which lives mainly in the high mountains of Tibet and China.

chintz - a cotton printed in several colors on a light or white background

combed cotton - Separates the long, choice, desirable fibers of the same length from the short immature fiber.   The result is stronger, smoother cotton yarn.

comforter - a thick bed covering made of two layers of cloth containing a filling (as down)

cotton - The soft fiber obtained from the seed pod of the cotton plant.  It is spun into yarn and thread and woven into fabric.

coverlet - a usually ornamental cloth cover for a bed

damask - firm, glossy jacquard-patterned fabric, similar to brocade, but flatter and reversible; it can be made from linen, cotton, rayon or silk, or a combination of fabrics

dobby - a fabric or figured weave

dobby border - a decorative woven area generally about two inches for the top and bottom edges of a towel

duvet - French word for comforter

ecru - unbleached, raw color

embellished - Direct or banded embroideries' attached or banded lace, stain or other kinds of fabric appliques, braids or a combination of these decorative elements

embroidery - the art or process of forming decorative designs with hand or machine needlework

faux - French word for imitation

field - see ground

fleur-de-lis - French, lily flower

florentine - having a matte brushed finish

ground - the surrounding area or background of a fabric pattern

hemstitch - to decorate (as a border) with hemstitch

hue - a color, such as red, yellow, or green

jabot - the cascading fabric at each side of a swage valance

jacquard - a fabric of intricate variegated weave or pattern

lambrequin - a cornice that completely frames the window; sometimes used interchangeably with valance or cantonniere

linen - fabric woven from Flax

loops - The number of loops in a towel determines its drying ability.  The more loops, the greater the absorbency.  A cotton loop in a towel is termed a "terry loop."

matelassé - appearance of a quilted weave; figured pattern with a raised, bubbly surface

merino - The most classic blankets are made from the wool of the Merino sheep.
Raised mainly in Australia, their wool is far more lustrous and the fiber is longer
and softer that other breeds.  Merino lambswool is finer still, coming from the animal's
first shearings.

mohair - a fabric or yarn made wholly or in part of the long silky hair of the Angora goat

moiré - type of fabric finish with a watered, wavy appearance

needlepoint - embroidery done on canvas usually in simple even stitches across counted threads

neutral - a color, such as white, black, gray, or tan, that blends well with other colors

organdy - a very fine transparent muslin with a stiff finish

organza - a sheer fabric (as of silk or nylon) resembling organdy

palette - a particular range, quality, or use of color

pastel - a light, pale tint of color

patina - the mellow, timeworn look of a surface

percale - a fine closely woven cotton cloth variously finished for clothing, sheeting, and industrial uses

picot - French, a series of small ornamental loops forming an edging on ribbon or lace

pique - a durable ribbed clothing fabric of cotton, rayon, or silk

primary colors - three colors, red, yellow, and blue - from which all the other colors originate

receding colors - colors that make a wall or surface appear to be further away that it actually is - usually pale colors, especially from the "cooler" end of the spectrum, such as blues, grays, and blue-greens

roux - French, from beurre roux brown butter

sateen - a smooth durable lustrous fabric usually made of cotton in satin weave

satin - a fabric (as of silk) in satin weave with lustrous face and dull back

scalloped - one of a continuous series of circle segments or angular projections forming a border

secondary colors - color produced by mixing two of the primary colors; orange, green and violet are secondary colors

sham - an ornamental covering for a pillow

silk - the only natural fiber that comes in a filament form, reeled from the cocoon, cultivated or wild

taffeta - a fine plain weave fabric smooth on both sides, usually with a sheen on it's surface

taupe - a brownish gray

terry - the loop forming the pile in uncut pile fabrics; an absorbent fabric with such loops -- called also terry cloth

tertiary color - color made by mixing two secondary colors

thread count - number of threads per inch in a fabric; higher quality linens have 200 or more thread count

toile - any of many plain or simple twill weave fabric; especially linen

trompe l'oeil - painting done on a flat surface to resemble a realistic, three-dimensional scene

valance - a drapery treatment, usually made of fabric, typically no longer that 20" in numerous styles

value - the lightness or darkness of a color

velour - a plain, velvet-like finish on a fabric, adding luxury and softness.

velvet - a fabric with a short, soft, dense pile

verdigris - a greenish blue patina that forms on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces

volutes - a spiral or scroll-shaped form

warp - a series of yarns extended lengthwise in a loom and crossed by the weft

weft - a filling thread or yarn in weaving

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